The so-called Week 0 includes four games featuring FBS programs.
Kansas State and Iowa State face off in Dublin, Ireland, in the first major college football game of the 2025 season.
Kansas showcases its newly renovated David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium when it hosts Fresno State.
We made it, college football fans. Opening day for the 2025 season is here at last, meaning we finally have some actual games to watch.
It’s an abbreviated slate on Saturday, so there’s a good chance your favorite team isn’t taking the field yet on this so-called Week 0. But these games do actually count, and in a couple of cases they have conference implications as well. Think of it as a plate of tasty appetizers before next week’s main dish.
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Here’s what you need to know for Saturday, including matchups, game times, TV information and things to keep an eye on over the course of the day.
No. 20 Kansas State vs. No. 21 Iowa State
Time/TV: Noon ET, ESPN
Why watch: Oh, you’ll watch. It’s the season kickoff, and it’s been more than seven months since we’ve had actual college football. Making this matchup from Dublin, Ireland, even more appealing, it’s a pairing of ranked teams, and it will count in the Big 12 standings. Playoff implications? Never too early to think about that, right?
Why it could disappoint: About the only way it could is if either team commits a spate of turnovers. It could turn into a ground-and-pound affair given the strength of the respective pass defenses, but that should mean a close contest throughout.
Fresno State at Kansas
Time/TV: 6:30 p.m. ET, Fox
Why watch: Not to be outdone, the Sunflower State’s other FBS program also gets a Week 0 jump start. The Jayhawks’ opener in its newly renovated home stadium is not a Big 12 affair, but it could be a challenge nonetheless against a Bulldogs’ squad that usually lands in the upper tier of the Mountain West. Kansas QB Jalon Daniels is back, but he needs to be better out of the gate as eight of his 12 interceptions last season came during the Jayhawks’ 1-5 start. His counterpart for the Bulldogs and new head coach Matt Entz will be the well-traveled E.J. Warner, son of NFL hall-of-famer Kurt, who played most recently at Rice.
Why it could disappoint: Both teams have a lot of new pieces and as such will be far from finished products when they take the field. But Kansas should have the overall talent advantage, which will assert itself sooner or later.
Sam Houston at Western Kentucky
Time/TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBSSN
Why watch: This is the second actual conference game on the Week 0 lineup, and it could be the most entertaining of the day. Both the Bearkats, who made the transition quickly from the FCS level to win 10 games last season, and the Hilltoppers, established perennial contenders in C-USA, expect to be in the hunt for the league title once again. The bad news for Sam Houston is its success came with a price as coach KC Keeler was hired away by Temple, so it will be up to new head man Phil Longo to keep the wins coming. The good news for the Bearkats is QB Hunter Watson is back after accounting for 21 total TDs last season. WKU coach Tyson Helton is still in Bowling Green, but he had to fill a lot of holes from last year’s squad that played for the conference crown a year ago. His new QB is all-name team candidate Maverick McIvor, who transfers in from Abilene Christian where he put up huge numbers while leading the Wildcats to their first Championship Subdivision playoff appearance.
Why it could disappoint: Western Kentucky took last year’s encounter 31-14 at Sam Houston, so the Bearkats will have to avoid playing catchup again. But if both offenses are able to click, this could be a track meet from start to finish.
Stanford at Hawaii
Time/TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, CBS
Why watch: For a couple of teams well below the national championship radar, this matchup is more important than it might appear. Just getting to a bowl is an uphill climb for both, and the loser of this opener will face even longer postseason odds going forward. Hawaii was just a win short last season, and now the Rainbow Warriors want to make the most of this rare opportunity of a Power Four conference member paying a visit to the islands. The Cardinal, after a disappointing inaugural ACC campaign and a tumultuous offseason, need to start 2025 on a positive note. Interim Stanford coach Frank Reich will look to Oregon State transfer QB Ben Gulbranson to lead the retooled roster. Warriors coach Timmy Chang will hand the QB reins to Micah Alejado on a full-time basis after he delivered a couple of strong outings to close out last season.
Why it could disappoint: Honestly, there are any number of ways things could go off the rails for either team. From an entertainment standpoint the best-case scenario for viewers would involve both teams scoring early, but there will likely be a lot of miscues.